Fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics, and markers of inflammation in dogs fed a raw meat-based diet compared to those on a kibble diet

Kris Hiney; Lara Sypniewski; Udaya DeSilva; Adel Pezeshki; Pratyaydipta Rudra; Parniyan Goodarzi; Erin Willis; Dianne McFarlane

doi:10.3389/fvets.2024.1328513

Fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics, and markers of inflammation in dogs fed a raw meat-based diet compared to those on a kibble diet

Front Vet Sci. 2024 Apr 17:11:1328513. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1328513. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Kris Hiney¹, Lara Sypniewski², Udaya DeSilva¹, Adel Pezeshki¹, Pratyaydipta Rudra³, Parniyan Goodarzi¹, Erin Willis⁴, Dianne McFarlane^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Ferguson College of Agriculture, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
² Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
³ Department of Statistics, College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
⁴ Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
⁵ Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the potential health risks associated with feeding raw and non-traditional diets, the use of these diets in dogs is increasing, yet the health outcomes associated with these diets is not well understood. This study investigates the effect of feeding dogs a kibble or raw meat-based diets on fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics and inflammatory markers.

Methods: Clinically healthy dogs with a history of consuming either kibble (KD, n = 27) or raw meat-based diets (RMBD, n = 28) for more than 1 year were enrolled. Dogs were fed a standardized diet of either a single brand of KD or RMBD for 28 days. Serum and fecal samples were collected for analysis of microbiota, metabolomics, and inflammatory markers. Multiple regression analysis was performed for each of the metabolites and inflammatory markers, with feed group, age and BCS included as independent variables.

Results: The fecal microbiota composition differed between the KD and RMBD groups. Beta-diversity and some indices of alpha-diversity (i.e., Shannon and Simpson) were different between the two diet groups. Sixty- three serum metabolites differed between KD and RMBD-fed dogs with the majority reflecting the differences in macronutrient composition of the two diets.Fecal IAP, IgG and IgA were significantly higher in RMBD dogs compared to KD dogs, while systemic markers of inflammation, including serum c-reactive protein (CRP), galectin, secretory receptor of advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE), haptoglobin, and serum IgG were similar in dogs fed either diet.

Discussion: Diet composition significantly affected fecal microbiota composition and metabolome. Although it had a potentially beneficial effect on local inflammatory markers, feeding RMBD had no impact on systemic inflammation. The influence of these changes on long term health outcomes provides an area for future study.

Keywords: canine; inflammatory markers; metabolome; microbiome; raw diet; raw meat-based diet.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Funding for this study was provided by the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation and the Henthorne Clinical Professorship of Small Animal Medicine, Oklahoma State University, College of Veterinary Medicine.